Mathura (UP), May 15 (PTI) Following the death of 16 people in Mathura-Vrindavan after a motorboat capsized in the Yamuna river on April 10, the state government has permanently deployed a platoon of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in Mathura, police said on Friday.
The platoon will conduct round-the-clock relief and rescue operations during emergencies.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Mathura Shlok Kumar said the platoon comprises 36 personnel. Earlier, SDRF teams had to be called in from Lucknow and Ghaziabad during emergencies, resulting in delays in relief operations.
“Now, with the team being available within the district itself, the response time will be significantly faster,” he said.
Kumar said the Keshi Ghat tragedy had exposed shortcomings in the local disaster management infrastructure.
He added that the SDRF platoon would work alongside the local police in tackling floods and waterlogging in the Yamuna during the monsoon season.
SDRF personnel are specially trained to handle floods, drowning incidents, earthquakes, and other natural disasters, he said.
The deployment will serve as a major safety measure for local residents as well as the millions of pilgrims who visit Mathura every year, officials said.
The incident occurred on April 10 when a boat carrying pilgrims from Punjab set off from Jugal Ghat towards Devaraha Baba Ghat. The boat collided with the pontoons of a bridge near Keshi Ghat and overturned in the Yamuna river. PTI COR NAV MDO MDO
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.